Category Archives: Nutrition

Spring Ab Shape-Up

This week we’re putting your abs on blast so you can get the results this spring that will be sure to last!

Spring Cleaning Your Ab Routine

There are no tricks or gimmicks involved in a true ab-defining plan. And with the key word here being “plan,” we’ll help you get on point by spring cleaning your current ab routine. But first, once you take the fitness fluff out of the mix like ridiculous (and dangerous) cleansing protocols, juice-only options, and caffeine-laden “fat burning” supplements saturating the quick-fix market today, you’re left with what’s really been proven to work – proper nutrition and exercise!

Your 3 Ab-Defining Plan Must-Haves

Have A Plan

One of the great things about fitness is that there are numerous ways to achieve your exercise goals. However, if you tend to be the type who builds your exercise routine through randomly watching others, you may want to rethink your strategy.

To avoid learning bad habits and poor techniques, best practice is to consult with an educated (and certified) fitness professional to build a plan that:

1. Is customized for your abilities. This way you’ll be sure they have the knowledge to properly instruct you on the exercises best suited for your ability and your goal.

2.Uses a phased approach. Your trainer will be able to set the right course and outline the progression of exercises and intensities to come as you progress along your plan.

3.Incorporates nutritional guidance. Your trainer will be able to get your nutritional habits on point so you’ll be sure to not only make great progress in terms of your overall health, but improve your strength and conditioning, and manage weight loss as well. This will be the most direct way to reveal your hard work in sculpting a tight, toned midsection.

2 Core Tips to Tone & Tighten:

Fine-Tune Your Technique

1. Breathing. Focus on breathing out on exertion (the “push” part of the movement), and breathing in when returning to rest (the “relaxed” part of the movement).

Result: This leads to better control over abdominal muscles so you’re able maintain control of your midsection at any time. This leads to better isolation of the core muscles so you’ll achieve better, faster results.

2. Squeeze each repetition. For every repetition be sure to pause briefly each time.

Result: A mind-to-muscle connection is created that over time enables more control over your muscles. Plus, you’ll better understand what you should feel while performing a given exercise in the correct manner.

Weight Loss Quick Tip

You cannot spot-reduce belly fat! Just simply performing abdominal exercises will not burn the unwanted fat from this problem area. You actually need to perform structured exercises for each muscle group and add in proper nutrition with a cardio regime. This will allow you to burn more calories than you are consuming daily, leading to weight loss and reduced inches in all areas!

Exercise Quick Tip

Intensity is Key. Higher repetitions and little rest between each ab move allows for greater caloric expenditure and cardiovascular output which leads to a higher level of not only core fitness, but heart health as well.

Burn MORE Fat Fast With Your Cardio Workout!

Take the weight off your shoulders – and your waistline – with a worry-free, kick-butt approach to combating cardio confusion when you train.

From walking and running to indoor machine training, cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of the fat-burning equation in any training program, yet most of my clients are equally split as to their love for cardio. While half prefer it over resistance training, the other half avoids it, preferring just their resistance training. On both sides it’s a struggle for balance.

Cardio Kick-Start

If you have trouble getting started, perceive cardio sessions in general to be quite boring and monotonous, or feel enough results will eventually come without additional cardio, there is an answer! Switching it up from your usual basic manual level option on your treadmill or elliptical session is a great place to start. Trying out the different types of program and intensity options on your machine will help you get the most out of your cardio workout. Better yet, it will hold your interest longer and you’ll burn a ton more calories than you’re use to – and that means winning the battle of the bulge!

Stoke Your Fat Burning Fire

To successfully turn your body’s metabolism into a fat-burning inferno you need three things.

A hard-hitting plan with the right fat-burning cardio techniques to ensure you’re maximizing the time spent.

You’ll need to burn more calories than you’re taking in on a daily basis.

Some great program options.

3 Tips For Choosing The Right Cardio Program

Wandering aimlessly around the gym or your personal home fitness space trying to figure out what to do next is one big reason so many people see little results, if any. Your ticket to getting the most out of your cardio sessions rests in choosing the right program.

eLifestyle Creates Customized Plans.

You need:

A time-efficient, dynamic workout that utilizes all the programs and intensities your cardio piece has to offer.

A workout tweaked for your specific fat-burning goals, limitations and ability to keep you focused and produce fast results.

A no-fail program that uses an initial three-week timetable.

To stoke your metabolism into high gear, your program should include:

A warm-up, cool-down and stretching

A challenging mix of intensities – forward, backwards and side-stepping

Hill climbs, speed and recovery intervals

2 Top Cardio Workouts to Burn MORE Calories & Torch Body Fat Fast!

1. Push-Pull Super Strokes can really roar up your heart rate while engaging rear and posterior muscles of the upper body at the same time. Of course, doing so will further spur on additional calorie expenditure.

Method: Focus on pulling with power for a pre-determined amount of time. Then do the same on a reverse approach, focusing on pushing with the same intensity.

2. 12-Minute Mash-Ups really tax your ticker while forcibly working muscle fibers to their max at the same time during this circuit-style approach.

Method (Inserted into the mid-point of your cardio session): Focus on upper body by pushing for 3 minutes on an incline of level 5, then on pulling for 3 minutes going in reverse at level 5. Next, still at level 5, focus on lower body only by using your legs and core muscles to balance, striding forward for 3 minutes, then finishing off by doing the same, but this time in reverse.

Walking Wise – Performing At The Right Intensity

If walking is your thing, make sure you’re upping your pace from week to week until you reach a brisk stride that elevates your heart rate in a way that still allows you to have a conversation. (Your perceived amount of exertion should feel about 70-75% of your maximum level of effort.) This is how you’ll ensure calorie burning will be maximized while still remaining within the high end of your ability.

Safety 4-Play – From Tread to Trail

When beginning any type of exercise, be it cardio machines or trail walking:

Maintain a realistic approach to your ability and your goals.

Start off in a light manner and progress naturally.

Always include a light warm-up and stretch to avoid injury.

If you have any physical or medical concerns, consult with your medical professional; don’t wait until after you’re injured!

eTransformation Online Weight Loss & Lifestyle Program

Get the abs you’ve always wanted!

Get the Fastest Body-Shaping Results with eLifestyle’s Most Popular Online Weight Loss Program!

Re-tooling your fitness and weight loss regimen to help you get the abs you’ve always wanted is simple – get eLifestyle’s 12-week eTransformation program! It’s the most efficient way to get weekly nutritional meal plans along with all the guidance and support needed to lose weight and be a success. Plus, to fast-track your weight loss goals, you’ll receive a time-efficient, dynamic exercise and cardio plan customized for your specific fat-burning goals. This way remaining focused and seeing fast results will be easy!

On A Journey… Meet Jacqueline – just one of the thousands of eLifestyle success stories!

“If I Can Do It, You Can Too!”

“My journey with eLifestyle has been completely life changing. I have learned what is important to me, how to be healthy and to take better care of myself. With this easy-to-follow program I continue to lose weight, and because of this I have turned into a brand new me that I am very proud of.”

Jacqueline Emes

Alberta, Canada

Beating Your Winter Waistline Woes

With the dreary winter season fast approaching, cold temperatures and darker days threaten to drain our will to focus on fitness goals. What’s more, unwanted wait gain can creep up slowly making it even harder to resume efforts later on if we fall of the wagon. With cardiovascular exercise being an essential part of the fat-burning equation – one that really doesn’t have to demand a lot of your time – it’s time to stay focused and beat your winter waistline woes!

I’m Back Baby!

From nutrition nonsense to exercise and protein intake, we’ve got the tips to get your fitness regimen on point fast so you can see tangible results before the end of the month!

Take a vacation from your fitness efforts this summer? Well, if you’re like most, there’s a good chance you did. Now that your kids are back at school we know you’re pumped to get back into your pre-summer exercise groove and strive towards your weight loss and fitness goals. So here’s how to get going in the right direction.

Streamline Your Exercise Outing for Optimal Results!

Short of cloning yourself, how can you make the time to take your “better than nothing” style of workouts to the next level? Whether at home, the local gym or outdoors, here’s 3 time-saving, turbo-charged tips to getting it done right…

Plan your exercise routine ahead of training. Standing in front of your equipment scratching your head as to what to do first won’t do you much good where results are concerned. Like anything, good planning saves you time.

Intensify your training. Determine the correct intensity that you need to train at for your level and ability. That means you’ll be pushing yourself along at a rate that challenges you, combined with short rest periods to keep your heart rate up and maximize calorie burning. This is how your body will feel the need to make positive changes while also saving you time. Plus, you’ll have some reassurance that you gave it your best effort, which translates to being on track with hitting your goals.

Perform the RIGHT exercises. Determine a well-rounded program with goal-specific exercises you need to make progress.

Why You Shouldn’t Eat Immediately Before Training

If you’re the type of person that crams in a quick snack literally just before you’re about to hit your workout, you may want to re-think your nutrition strategy. Here’s 3 best reasons why …

Tug-of-war scenario. On one hand you are asking your body to digest food, and on the other you are expending energy for exercise. The outcome? Both can occur simultaneously, but at a limited capacity – slower digestion and lower energy output.

Digestion issues. A build-up of gas can occur, making your fitness outing much less comfortable.

It takes energy (and blood) to digest the food. When you eat shortly before exercising, you need the energy at two places. Blood is pooled to the stomach for digestion, and it’s also being pulled to working muscles to supply nutrients via the bloodstream. The outcome is that the muscles win and efficient digestions lags.

Pump Up Your Protein

Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body, yet most people don’t consume enough to meet daily requirements, let alone exercise. Here’s 3 top quick tips to get you on track…

How much do I need? Our protein needs depend on our age, size, and activity level. Professional nutritionists and fitness consultants use a standard method to estimate our minimum daily protein requirement where body weight is multiplied in kilograms by .8, or weight in pounds by .37. Your end number is the number of grams of protein that should be the daily minimum. Therefore, a person weighing 150 lbs. should eat 55 grams of protein per day.

Do I need more protein if I exercise? It is scientific fact that people engaging in endurance exercise (such as long distance running) or medium to high intensity resistance exercise (such as fitness training or body building) can benefit from additional protein in their diets. As a general rule, research suggests 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for endurance exercisers and 1.7 to 1.8 grams per kg per day for medium to heavy strength training.

What happens if I don’t eat enough protein? Unlike fat and glucose, our body has little capacity to store protein. If we were to stop eating protein, our body would start to break down muscle for its needs within a day or so. So keep your protein intake in check and you’ll greatly enhance the rate in which you meet your weight loss and muscle building goals. You’ll be creating a proper rate of muscle repair and general maintenance which leads to increased body strength, revved up metabolism, and positive overall physical appearance!

I’m Back Baby!

No matter your fitness goals, don’t waste your time strolling haphazardly around your workout spot. Have an exercise and nutrition plan, hit them hard with dedication and determination, and you’ll get faster results by the end of the month – and that’s an eLifestyle guarantee!

Beat The Heat: Your Summer Holiday Fitness Check List

On-the-go exercise, hydration and nutrition – we’ll help you make the most of your summer holiday fitness endeavors so you can get some head-turning hard-body results this summer!

Summer Holidays Hard Body

The warm feeling of the sun can provide an encouraging lift in attitude that will help supercharge your exercise efforts, and fresh air is invigorating while vitamin D provided by the sun is an essential nutrient to the body. With that in mind, your summer holidays can be a great time to really nail down your fitness agenda and get some head-turning hard body results. And that solid exercise groove will remain with you as you transition back to your regular work and/ or family life schedule. What’s more, we’ve got some great tips for exercise, packing the right healthy foods while munching on-the-go, plus the 411 on hydration – at home outdoors, the cottage or the local park!

H2O I.Q: Your 411 on Hydration

Whether you’re swimming, running, cycling, roller blading or fitness training, staying hydrated and maintaining you body’s electrolytes and salt will be key. When you sweat, your body loses not only water, but electrolytes and salt, too. This delicate balance of water and electrolytes is crucial to keep your body functioning properly, so during training it is also important to replenish. In fact, you can make your very own homemade eLifestyle Sport Drink to help you recover quicker!

Poor Hydration Signs & Symptoms

Light-headedness

Dry mouth

Nausea

Low energy and stamina

Muscle cramping

Meeting Fluid Requirements While Active. During sessions of physical exercise you are creating a much higher demand on your body. Therefore, in order to satisfy your basic fluid requirements, plus the additional demand put forth during sport and exercise, you need to tap into extra water resources. This means increasing water intake by one cup of water about a half hour prior to working out, while also sipping away during exercise. At the end of your workout follow up with an additional cup of water for each half hour you were exercising.

Summer Exercise – Your Take Anywhere Options

To take advantage of the good weather, outdoor training is where it’s at. Whether setting up in your backyard, the cottage, or even the local park, you don’t need much. There are a few light, take anywhere pieces of training equipment that will guarantee you get a great full-body workout in the shortest amount of time: TRX Suspension Training (you’ll need a sturdy object to attach from overhead like a tree branch, soccer field net, or kids climbers in the park), Yoga mat, Stability ball (optional).

Snack Pack – 3 Easy Rules

No matter your fitness goals, snacking is an essential part of any healthy eating plan. Regular nibbling keeps blood sugar levels stable and can help prevent overeating later in the day. However, benefiting from this plan depends on one crucial variable: the kind of food you put into your mouth. It can be a caloric conundrum if you only count the calories in what you eat as the calorie count of any snack choice is just a number until you compare the make-up of those calories to another. Looking for a solid plan? Check out our popular eTransformation 12-Week Online Weight Loss & Lifestyle Program!

There are three simple rules to follow when mastering your munchies.First, chew down a light sugar-free snack of just 100 to 200 calories. Second, make sure that snack provides balanced nutrition – some carbs, protein, and healthy fats. And three, the serving size you eat depends on your activity level. By comparison, routinely downing a sugar-saturated doughnut may fill the void for the moment, but eventually the sugar crash will zap your energy and beef up your beltline.

eLifestyle snack suggestion: 6 oz of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit. You’ll get several grams of fiber, 15-20 grams of fast-digesting simple sugar carbs to fuel your engine, plus a hefty 14 grams of protein! Have any time at home, or take on the go.

In The Fast Food Lane

Nowadays, even fast food restaurants are in tune with a healthy lifestyle by offering salads and fruit on their menus. The produce section and deli at the grocery store offer a variety of grab-and-go options, and plenty of sit down restaurants offer lots of fresh vegetables and fruit options.

eLifestyle Top 3 Fast Food Suggestions:

1. Sandwich and sub shops. They offer a variety of vegetables to add to your sandwich or eat on the side. Ask if they can use less meat or cheese and add more vegetables. Go easy on the butter, mayonnaise and other high fat sauces.

2. Burger joints. Try one of the entrée salads that many are offering. If you go for the burger, choose a salad or fruit salad side instead of fries. Have 100% fruit juice in place of pop or coffee. And say no to “super sizing” your meal. No one needs that much food all at once.

3. Restaurants. Try one of the entrée salads that many are offering. If you go for the burger, choose a salad or fruit salad side instead of fries. Have 100% fruit juice in place of pop or coffee. And say no to “super sizing” your meal. No one needs that much food all at once. Also, watch your portion sizes. Eat until you’re comfortably full, and then take the rest to go.

No Excuses!

Most people plan to exercise outdoors when the good weather hits, but few seldom make that a reality. Don’t fall off the fitness wagon this summer! Your take-anywhere-anytime approach to your training and nutrition will have your fitness interests going full tilt while keeping you on par with your goals. Keeping a variety of training tools on hand that can easily travel with you from your personal home space to the cottage or anywhere on-the-go, will have you turning heads this summer!

Hard Body Summer Shape-Up

TRX, Agility Ladders and more – we’re taking gymless training up a notch so you can shape a tight, toned and super strong physique this summer – outdoors!

Fresh air is invigorating while vitamin D provided by the sun is an essential nutrient to the body. What’s more, the warm feeling of the sun can provide an encouraging lift in attitude that will help supercharge your exercise efforts. So with that in mind, this month we share the latest info on some exceptional take-anywhere equipment options, plus an intense training trio to guarantee stealthy results. So get stoked because we’re thinking outside the “box” by dropping the traditional indoor exercises of free weights and resistance machines to deliver a multi-faceted approach to strength and cardiovascular conditioning – outdoors!

Fit & Functional

Every rep, every set, every workout, to get the most out of your training you need to be challenged on all three planes of motion: transverse (internal/external rotation), frontal (abduction/adduction), and sagittal ( flexion/extension). These are the three primary planes of motion the body is divided into, and are important because all motion occurs around one of these three planes. No matter your current level of fitness, keeping this knowledge in mind will lead to increased fitness while creating balance and stability over your entire body. This means that you’ll be able to perform the regular functions of your day with more ease.

Military & Sport-Inspired Fitness

No matter what you do, body resistance training can be highly effective for use in rehab and sport conditioning. You simply match the type and intensity of each exercise to your specific need. We’ve listed many great advantages of bodyweight-only training below. Plus, if athletes and the military can build their eye-turning physiques with this style of training, you can too!

So, if you’re ready for a fun and savvy way to get fit, check out the body-tightening trifecta top eLifestyle personal trainer, Robb Armstrong, has assembled in Robb’sHard Body Connection below. Plus, each exercise also comes complete with required equipment for each of the moves in the three stations!

Robb’s Hard Body Connection

How To: First, find an open space outdoors. For executing the TRX moves you will require a space that has a fixed object like a tree a limb, monkey bars, swing set, etc.

Next, perform each move in the circuit for the duration of 1 minute until the end, taking just 30 seconds max rest between each exercise. After each full circuit, rest for 3 minutes (less if desired) and then continue on for 3 rounds.

Station #1 – TRX: Squat Jumps & Rows Combo (30 sec. each move)

2. Begin by holding TRX straps, standing in a shoulder-width squat stance. Slowly lower into a squat (stopping at approx. a 90º at the knee for safety), and quickly jump taking both feet off of the ground.

3. Be sure to land with your feet flat with the majority of weight on your heels, back into a squatting position.

Next, switch to Rows:

1. Holding the TRX handles in each hand, face the anchor point. Standing with both feet close together facing forward, maintain this foot position throughout the exercise.

2. Jump up with both feet and land on the left foot only in the first square.

3. Immediately push off with your left foot and land with both feet in the second square.

4. Immediately push off with both feet and land on your right foot only.

5. Push off from your right foot and land on both feet.

6. Repeat this pattern for the full length of the ladder.

Big Time Bodyweight Training

To build diversity in your efforts and a bigger circuit with more stations, here’s just a few of the awesome bodyweight fitness-boosting pieces of equipment we used today that you can pull together to up your game:

TRX System – Professional Package: A total body training system that dramatically boosts your fitness level with over 300 exercises. “All Core All The Time”!

Equalizer Bars: Developed for bodyweight strength training in mind, but this versatile set of bars can also be used for cardiovascular training, muscle strength and endurance and stretching.

No Excuses!

Most people plan to exercise outdoors when the good weather hits, but few seldom make that a reality. Don’t fall off the fitness wagon this summer! Your take-anywhere-anytime approach to your training equipment will greatly advance your fitness level while keeping you on par with your goals. Keeping a variety of training tools on hand that can easily travel with you from your personal home space to the back yard, the cottage, or even the park, will have you super fit – not to mention turning heads this summer!

Nutrition & More For A Beach Ready Body!

If your training is on point but your efforts refuse to show, maybe matching your nutrition with your ambition will get the results to flow!

March Madness

The fast-paced life of juggling family and work, plus a balanced fitness program can often have you eating meals on-the-go. And since making sense of your options can lead to madness, we’ve got some tips to better feed your caloric need when your life is mobile.

Clean Cals for Energy & Recovery

If you’re looking to maximize your fitness and nutrition efforts, a wise strategy would be to rely on what’s been proven to work. First and foremost is timing – and it’s a real science. As a matter of fact, there are two times in your day when nutrition counts the most: right off the hop in the A.M. and post-workout. While your morning meal can ensure that adequate glycogen stores (the source of energy most often used for exercise) are available for optimal performance and focus to start your day, the post-exercise meal is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.

No matter your goal, snacking is an essential part of any healthy eating plan. Regular nibbling keeps blood sugar levels stable and can help prevent overeating later in the day. However, benefiting from this plan depends on one crucial variable: the kind of food you put into your mouth. It can be a caloric conundrum if you only count the calories in what you eat as the calorie count of any snack choice is just a number until you compare the make-up of those calories to another.

3. The serving size you eat depends on your activity level. By comparison, routinely downing a sugar-saturated doughnut may fill the void for the moment, but eventually the sugar crash will zap your energy and beef up your beltline.

eLifestyle Snack Suggestion: 6 oz of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit. You’ll get several grams of fiber, 15-20 grams of fast-digesting simple sugar carbs to fuel your engine, plus a hefty 14 grams of protein! Have any time at home, or take on the go. You can even make your own Greek Yogurt from home!

In The Fast Food Lane

Nowadays, even fast food restaurants are in tune with a healthy lifestyle plan by offering salads and fruit on their menus. The produce section and deli at the grocery store offer a variety of grab and go options, and plenty of restaurants offer lots of fresh vegetables and fruit options.

eLifestyle Fast Food Suggestions:

Sandwich and sub shops. They offer a variety of vegetables to add to your sandwich or eat on the side. Ask if they can use less meat or cheese and add more vegetables. Go easy on the butter, mayonnaise and other high fat sauces.

Burger joints. Try one of the entrée salads that many are offering. If you go for the burger, choose a salad or fruit salad side instead of fries. Have 100% fruit juice in place of pop or coffee. And say no to “super sizing” your meal. No one needs that much food all at once.

Restaurants. Try one of the entrée salads that many are offering. If you go for the burger, choose a salad or fruit salad side instead of fries. Have 100% fruit juice in place of pop or coffee. And say no to “super sizing” your meal. No one needs that much food all at once. Also, watch your portion sizes. Eat until you’re comfortably full, then take the rest to go.

Bonus Tip: If part or even your entire primary goal is weight loss, do not consume fast-digesting carbs later in the evening or night unless you exercise in the evening.

Balance Your Midsection

You can boast that you can do 1000 crunches with ease, but if your technique is lagging, you shouldn’t be bragging! When it comes to re-tooling your fitness program for faster results, increasing your core strength and stability with the proper exercises for your midsection is a must. Check out the eLifestyle Plank Exercise.

Waistline Warfare

From walking to treadmill training, cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of the fat-burning equation. However, if you have trouble getting started and/or perceive cardio sessions in general to be quite boring and monotonous, think again. Varying the method along with the types of programs and intensities you use on training day will help you get the most out of your cardio workout while burning a ton more calories than you’re use to. And that means winning the battle of the bulge! Need some techniques? Try some eLifestyle cardio techniques from last month’s blog!

Measure Your Success

It requires a greater amount of attention in the beginning, but learning the options you have available to help you obtain balanced nutrition during your busy day will become second nature. Remember, the key to satisfying your health and fitness goals is that you MUST focus your nutritional intake on what you need, when and why you need it, and how you can get it. Now you’ll be ready for the beach in no time!

From Winter Blahs to Exercise Ahas!

Post-New Year resolutions can fizzle out fast when your focus fades. However, with February poised as the official countdown to Spring, it’s time to renew your zest for fitness and weight loss so you can trim weight, drop inches and build a lean, sculpted body – all in time for beach season!

Hitting the Fitness Recharge Button

This time of year the winter blahs can creep in when the temperature drops and daylight dwindles. And if your New Year goal of getting up bright and early to hit the gym at 6am before work has fizzled out, we’ve got some great food and cardio tips to hit the recharge button and fast-track your success.

Nutrition Makeover

When your fitness focus begins to fizzle out, comfort food can often start to replace the balanced nutrition plan you organized to complement your new 2016 exercise plan. Thankfully the trend of the crash diet is out and personalized nutrition plans are in. And there are some great meal prep options that can fit seamlessly into your day that can provide you with the balanced calories needed: fuel for energy, muscle repair and maintenance, and to maximize calorie burning. What’s more, we chose our top five online easy food faves suitable for any time of the day. They require little prep, taste great, and are easy on the beltline. Best of all, you’ll know you’re reaching for the right stuff to munch down instead of a calorie-laden quick-fix.

Burn Baby, Burn!

Cardio can torch calories and carve muscle at the same time!

Cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of the fat-burning equation. Plus, the way in which you leverage your body on your treadmill, elliptical or cross trainer will dictate how you’ll stimulate total body muscle recruitment at the same time. This two-in-one approach will dramatically enhance overall results. Inject some tactical techniques into your cardio regiment by switching up your program modes as well as types of resistance (elevation, direction and body position) during your workout. Want to guarantee fast results? Follow the cardio training tips below with our Cardio & Muscle Training Trifecta.

Cardio & Muscle Training Trifecta

1. Power Grade will have you elevate to bigger results by adding varying degrees of incline to your elliptical workout. It’s the uphill battle you want to engage in!

Method: Periodically over the span of your cardio session, insert an elevation change to throw your body off of its steady course, forcing it into an accelerated fat-burning mode.

2. Push-Pull Super Strokes can really roar up your heart rate while engaging rear and posterior muscles of the upper body at the same time. Of course, doing so will further spur on additional calorie expenditure.

Method: Focus on pulling with power for a pre-determined amount of time. Then do the same on a reverse approach, focusing on pushing with the same intensity.

3. Heel Pull-Backs put your hamstrings under steady fire. In most strength training outings, the quadriceps that make up the anterior (front) thigh muscles are most often trained in isolation. This leaves the hard-to-hit posterior (rear) hamstring muscles out of sync to provide a balance of strength and flexibility.

Method: While in a forward motion, focus on pulling with your heel on the foot pedal during each stride, and minimally with your arms. This works to isolate your hamstrings to keep you moving at a good pace.

Me, Myself & I

You’re accountable to yourself make it happen. Putting yourself first doesn’t mean sacrificing work, family or friends. It’s all about balance and finding the right weight loss and lifestyle program. In fact, the “right” program is one that makes you feel good, revs your energy, and keeps you looking forward to each new day because you’re seeing results. Better yet, we can help! Hire an eLifestyle Personal Trainer. We’ll take out all of the guesswork and create the perfect customized program for guaranteed fastest and safest results, no matter your goal or timeline.

Happy training!

New Year Resolution Solution – It’s YOUR Year!

Running out of exercise ideas can have you spinning your wheels to start the New Year, but with eLifestyle’s all-season solutions you’ll have a better grip on your nutrition and training resolutions to turn them into your everyday lifestyle!

Fitness resolutions always seem to take center stage after the calorie-laden holidays, and after experiencing some waistline woes most don’t know where to start. Not to worry, at eLifestyle we get it; life is like a ball of fishing line – you drop the ball once and you’re left with a tangled mess to straighten out. That’s where we come in. We have the plan to get you on track to seeing weight loss and exercise results in no time. From quick tips to goal-setting and incredible weight loss and personal Training specials, we’ll make sure your New Year fitness resolutions are tailored to YOU so you can create a sustainable lifestyle, fast!

A Focused Approach – Do It For You And Your Family

If you’ve fallen off the fitness wagon and succumbed to creating more excuses than time for exercise, we’ll start you off with 3 basic tips to power up your routine so you can be the star once more!

1. Dust off your attitude to start shedding the winter pounds!
Use the idea that spring comes quickly as motivation: It’s been proven that what’s out of sight will be out of mind, so avoid that pitfall. Think of 5 good reasons for wanting to look and feel great, write them down and post them where you’ll have a constant reminder that won’t go away. And remember, your kids are learning from you!

2. Shake off the cobwebs with friends who share the same goals!
Get your intensity groove on: Recruit some friends who have the same fitness goals and start up a plan together to walk outdoors (weather permitting) for your cardio sessions. Studies show that when in a group, positive energy is released, creating the desire to do more and stay committed.

3. Go light on your food portions for calorie control!
Like most winter fitness buffs, at the first sign of a snowflake you may have opted to trade in your spinach and chicken salad for heartier, soul-warming meat lasagna. But now, with the cold weather here it’s time to shave the calories to shed the pounds.

Match Your Goals With These 5 Best Tools:

1. Write it down. Although the most basic rule for any worthy endeavor, putting your goals on paper will serve as steady reminder to stay on track. Start by listing your most important goals in order, from losing weight to toning to simply having more energy, that way you’ll be sure to see results with your home gym.

2. Make your goals attainable and realistic. That doesn’t mean you can’t think big, just make sure to break large goals down into smaller bits that you can aim for to successfully conquer along each step of the journey.

3. Make time for research. Discover what you’ll need to match the right equipment with your goals. If you’re looking to improve cardiovascular health, then a stepper, treadmill or cross trainer will be the right ingredient. To bolster strength and muscle tone, a few dumbbells may be sufficient. Better yet, a multi-purpose unit offers the advantage of covering the needs of all muscle groups in the convenience of one machine.

4. Establish your perfect space. Make sure your home workout area is both suitable and comfortable. An area you’ll want to spend time in should be well lit and have optimal space to maneuver while doing exercises that require you to take steps foreword and back.

5. Take in proper nutrition. Simply guessing at what foods are necessary to reach your goals can have you over-eating, under-eating or taking in the wrong types of nutrition altogether.

Goal-Focused Quick Tips

Training Quick Tip:Use free weights when you train. Unlike a weighted machine that is fixed in one position, free-weight training is effective in recruiting additional stabilizer muscles to provide balance and coordination during any chosen exercise.

Weight Loss Quick Tip:Use your cardio machine to its full potential. To stoke your metabolism into high gear, take advantage of all the programs and intensities your treadmill has to offer. If you perceive treadmill training to be quite boring and monotonous, think again. Varying the type of programs and intensities you use on training day will make for a more enjoyable cardio session, not to mention burning a ton more calories than you’re use to. And that means faster results!

Fit Body Fact:Understanding protein powder supplementation. It can be of great benefit to anyone searching for a safe, easy way to ensure proper nutrition on a busy schedule. The questions are, what are they and what do you look for?

Check out this informative article by Men’s Health: “The Best Whey Protein Powder for You.” Click here to check out the full article.

Fitness & Weight Loss Specials: Cut The Excuses, Cut The Fat!

Lose weight, increase strength and lean muscle while you get into the best shape of your life NOW with this New Year 2016 Training & Weight Loss Specials 3-pack!

Give It Your All

1. Receive 1 FREE session when you purchase a package of 12, 2 FREE sessions when you purchase a package of 24, and 3 FREE sessions when you purchase a package of 36! Contact leah@elifestyle.ca or 416.841.2196 or 905.551.2141.

3. Want fast fitness results? With eLifestyle’s exclusive January offer you’ll get a customized $200 package for just $50! Plus, you’ll have a no-excuse plan to get into the best shape of your life, in the comfort of your own home!

Plan ahead now and get in shape BEFORE your New Year’s resolution fizzles away!

Indulge Without The Bulge!

Injecting the festive mood into your holidays can be just what you need after working so hard. So we’ve hung a few timely tips under the social mistletoe to keep you sane and without the gain!

Like most of us, you look forward to the winter holiday season to be with family and friends or head out on vacation to escape the cold weather. And like us, you want to be able to enjoy your break by taking in social events and entertainment. Problem is some aren’t always sure how to balance out pleasure with pace. With so much we want to do in such a small window of time, we often look back after the holidays and wonder how the heck we gained that mysterious 10lbs? Have no fear because we have a variety of timely tips to have you prepared a head of time, so you can indulge without the bulge this festive season!

Balance Is Key

No matter how you choose to celebrate, there are countless tips to suit your needs when it comes to staying on track with your nutrition and fitness goals. The key, as always, is balance in your approach. Check out or Festive 5 below…

Festive 5

1. Drink plenty of water. Though something everyone should do year round, doing so will actually help suppress your appetite and limit cravings over and above regular healthy meals and snacks.

2. Limit alcohol consumption. Remember that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat! Also, when choosing a mix, opt for soda water as tonic water is actually loaded with sugar!

3. Snack on fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods whenever possible. Dried fruits are healthy and a good alternative to many sweet snacks such as cookies and candy.

4. Understand that you’re probably going to miss some workouts during this time and plan now to work around it. Schedule different times or substitute another activity, even if it’s at home.

5. Eat a nutritious meal or snack before you attend events or parties where there is a lot of food. Treat it as if going grocery shopping on a full stomach. You won’t be tempted as much if your tank is nearly full.

Portion Control

You don’t necessarily need to forgo some of your favorite festive goodies if you exercise a little portion control. Here’s five great tips to follow when size matters.

Fill half of your plate with veggies. This will fill you more quickly and leave less room for higher calorie foods.

Use familiar items in your mind to measure portions. While choosing meat, imagine a deck of cards. That will be about 3oz. For carbs like potatoes, for example, imagine a tennis ball.

Go easy on gravies and sauces. Unknowingly to you, these generally hold considerable amounts of unwanted fat and calories.

Start with a small serving and pace yourself. Enjoy the food and give it time to settle while sipping away on some water. This will help you feel more satisfied.

Notice your body’s cues. When you begin to feel full, it’s time to stop.

Training Quick Tip:

You can’t offset poor food choices with extra ab crunches! Don’t get suckered in by thinking more ab exercises will cancel out your consumption of holiday treats because you cannot spot-reduce. You won’t feel guilty if you enjoy your treats while not going overboard.

Weight Loss Quick Tip:

Keep your goals in check! The holidays aren’t a free pass to chow down at will. Staying on track with your goals will offset the downward spiral of post-holiday depression caused by poor eating choices.

Enjoy the Holidays

Remember that a major key to building a healthy mindset towards nutrition and exercise in social situations or on vacation is that you MUST have a sensible approach. It’s ok to indulge, but exercising balance will be key in avoiding any post-holiday bulge!

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Prep – Why You Need To Start Your Fitness Plan NOW!

This month we give you some great tips to help you stay on track when the upcoming season of laxed diet and exercise programs can threaten to put your fitness and nutrition in a deep freeze.

Holiday Health & Fitness Prep – Start Now. You’ll Be Glad You Did!

At eLifestyle, we get it. It’s a super busy time of year with so much on the go. However, like any other thing that is important in your life, having a plan ready ahead of time will really take the pressure off. What’s more, your fitness efforts during the hectic holidays can yield some serious

eLifestyle Creates Customized Plans

yuletide surprises if you prioritize your winter workouts and your nutrition before hand. This month we’ve got a few gift-wrapped solutions to help you cruise with ease through the holidays while keeping your fitness and nutrition on track!

A Healthy Approach

In order to amp up your holiday health meter, focus on ways to improve your fitness both inside and out. You’ll make great strides by first learning your personal dietary needs and then adding some form of fitness like running/jogging, Yoga, Pilates, and/or a balanced resistance training program, etc.

Fitness Food Factor

eLifestyle Covers All Your Nutrition Needs

In order for your nutrition to match your ambition, you’ll need to fine-tune your eating routine by setting out an easy-to-follow system of quick go-to meals like this one. First and foremost is timing – and it’s a real science. As a matter of fact, there are two times in your day when nutrition counts the most: right off the hop in the A.M. and then post-workout. While your morning meal can ensure that adequate glycogen stores (the source of energy most often used for exercise) are available for optimal performance and focus to start your day, the post-exercise meal is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.

To keep the rest of the day on track, the right combination of carbs, proteins and fats eaten at regular intervals throughout the day will ensure energy levels are kept high. Skipping meals will only zap your energy when you least expect it, not to mention actually slowing your metabolism over time rather than revving it up as intended! Healthy snacks eaten between meals will stabilize your blood sugar levels so you won’t experience energy “highs” and “lows.” What’s more, accepting your diet and exercise modifications as permanent lifestyle choices will ensure you’ll be more successful at keeping the weight off. Follow this plan and you’ll be taking a couple notches of your belt in no time!

eLifestyle’s Top 10 Bulge Beaters

It’s been proven that during the festive holiday season the average person will gain 7-8 pounds as a result of indulging more and exercising less. By following our ten best tips to defeating temptation, you’ll be sure to maintain your holiday motivation!

eLifestyle Is Your Fitness & Nutrition Help Hotline!

1. Drink plenty of water. Though something everyone should do year round, doing so will actually help suppress your appetite.2. Limit alcohol consumption. Remember that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat!3. Snack on fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods whenever possible. Dried fruits are healthy and a good alternative to many sweet snacks such as cookies and candy.4. Understand that you’re probably going to miss some workouts during this time and plan now to work around it. Schedule different times or substitute another activity, even if it’s at home.5. Enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. Bundle up and take the dog for a walk, and try skating or sledding with the kids. Squeezing any extra activity into your schedule helps.6. Eat a nutritious meal or snack before you attend events or parties where there is a lot of food. Treat it as if going grocery shopping on a full stomach. You won’t be tempted as much if your tank is nearly full.7. Don’t stay out too late. Adequate sleep is an important component for healthy weight loss and maintenance.8. Try in-home personal training. It combines education and motivation with cardio and resistance-training opportunities in the safety and privacy of your own home, and is essential to maintaining a healthy way of life. If you’re thinking about getting into a healthy routine, fall is a great time to sign up with eLifestyle!9. If you currently work with a trainer, don’t put your training sessions on hold. Getting out of contact with your key motivator for exercise is proven to get you out of the groove with your goals.10. Keep your stress levels low. Like most things in life, balance, variety and moderation apply to holiday celebrations as well. Spend time with family and friends and enjoy the holidays.

Don’t let your fitness program suffer a holiday hangover this season by waiting until the New Year

Create A Plan For Success!

to change things up. Making it a balanced lifestyle choice can guarantee measurable success when you plan ahead!

Happy Holidays!

Running or Walking – Which Is Best for Weight loss?

eLifestyle gets you fit!

Simply put, both running and walking while trying to cut the excess pounds are a good choice, however, running does burn far more calories and can have a greater effect on overall health. That being said, it’s important to understand the difference between “burning fat” and “losing fat,” as well as what it takes to actually lose weight.

How Your Body Uses Calories

Walking is an excellent exercise for fat burning. While any exercise can burn calories, brisk walking for 45 minutes mobilizes the body to dip into fat reserves and burn stored fat. Walkers can also achieve the exercise intensity that uses more fat as fuel.

The Fat Burning Zone

Balance nutrition and exercise.

The fat-burning zone is at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. In this zone of exercise intensity, 85% of your calories burned are fats, 5% are proteins and 10% are carbohydrates. When walking at a brisk pace, you’ll be breathing heavier, feeling increased exertion and beginning to perspire, but you’ll still be able to carry on a conversation. These are your tell-tale signs that you’re in this preferred zone.

To fuel your run the body primarily uses carbs and fat as its go-to energy source, and the ratio of carbs and fat actually changes depending on your speed and intensity. For high-intensity running, such as interval workouts for example, your body will rely more on carbs for fuel than fat because they’re a more readily available source of energy. For long, slower runs, your body starts using fat as an energy source. What’s more, many eLifestyle clients have reached their fitness and weight loss goals with our 12-Week eTransformation Exercise & Lifestyle Program!

What It Takes to Lose Fat by Running

Run or walk – it’s up to you!

It’s important to remember that when you’re trying to shed pounds it doesn’t matter what type of fuel you use. Just because you’re using more fat as energy doesn’t mean you’re losing fat or burning more calories.

The simple fact is, in order to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in daily. As with running, or any other forms of exercise, the harder you work dictates the amount of calories you’ll burn.

You must also keep in mind that there are a few things to consider that will determine which is best for you to do as an individual to meet your weight loss goals – all which are predetermined by your personal ability.

Your Fitness Ability Determines Results

Matching your intensity for walking or running with your ability is key in a few ways. First, if you’re you a beginner, are overweight, have any current injuries, or have any pre-existing physical or medical conditions such as shin splints, a cardiovascular condition or osteoporosis, you’ll want to limit your intensity.

Next, you monitor success and increase intensity accordingly. This is where walking for weight loss has the clear edge due to the low impact it has on bones, joints and muscles while still increasing the benefits on overall health.

Time Spent

Whether walking or running, you’ll get the greatest benefit if you aim for thirty to sixty minutes each day, building on your intensity as you improve on your ability.

Goals

For best results keep them small and stay consistent, increasing them bit-by-bit every week.

Happy training!

Drastic Carb Cutting Can Hinder Weight Loss

Committing to exercise this spring will do you just fine, but knowing the role carbs play will really help tighten your beltline!

For most, cutting too many carbs from your diet is an unintentional yet common dietary mistake — something our successful clients have learned to correct. While it’s true that cutting back on your daily carbohydrate intake will help with your weight loss efforts, cutting dietary carbs too low can actually have the opposite intended effect. The frustrating result is that your body weight may remain the same, or even worse, you’ll gain additional weight!

Top 10 Reasons Carbs Are An essential Part Of Your Daily Nutrition

The effects of a low-carbohydrate lifestyle will result in a “carb crash” that include constipation, bad breath, headaches, irritability, fatigue and potential vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

You need carbohydrate calories to burn for energy.

In terms of exercise, if carbs are too low on your nutrition plan you will be weaker, more lethargic and will lack the ability to concentrate and maintain an effective training intensity to produce results.

Drastic carb cutting may lead to faster weight loss, but can also lead to fast regain of body weight once carbs are reintroduced into the diet, even in smaller amounts!

If carbohydrate intake remains very low and overall caloric intake with regards to proteins and fats aren’t properly adjusted, your body will revert into “starvation mode” as the body tries to conserve energy.

Because serotonin is a byproduct of carbohydrate metabolism, a low-carbohydrate intake depletes the serotonin levels in the brain. With lower serotonin, individuals become more depressed and more obsessed, and in extreme cases that can lead to an eating disorder.

Cutting carbs too low may not be effective for your body type.

The sudden loss of energy-burning fuel can stall your metabolism, which is counterproductive to weight loss.

A state of ketosis can result from drastic carb-cutting. Common in the malnourished and those who suffer from diabetes, if not treated, ketosis is a potentially fatal condition that first leads to a coma as the nervous system becomes depressed because of the blood pH drop caused by the ketones in the blood stream.

The Right Way To Counting Calories

There is another area of nutrition that can cause some confusion when trying to follow a healthy eating lifestyle. And that has to do with determining if the make-up of total calories in the food you eat is comprised of the right kind of calories that will be beneficial to you and your family’s health.

Like most these days you’re no doubt looking for the best way to provide nutritional meals for your family, and it really doesn’t take a lot of effort to read the labels of what we eat. Where the real challenge lies is in understanding what makes up the total calories we consume from any given food choice. Even for savvy health-conscious consumers it’s a common mistake to look at food labels and make a purchase based on the lowest total calories for that product type alone and not what nutritional value is contained within. In fact, no matter what your fitness and nutrition goals are our eTransformation Online Weight Loss, Exercise & Lifestyle Program contains everything you need to guarantee success!

4 Simple Rules to Counting Calories The Right Way

Look at the content of protein, carbs and fat

Look at sugar and sodium sources

Look at additives and preservatives

Do not necessarily go by the government’s Daily Recommended Value (DRV) as it is based on the average sedentary adult, and therefore may end up being useless to someone who is in a regular fitness program.

We Are What We Eat

The power of T.V commercial marketing can be very persuasive, so it’s extremely important to understand that 100 calories from a piece of chocolate, for example, is not the same as 100 calories from a piece lean protein, such as chicken.

Remember, the key to healthy living is that you MUST base your nutritional intake on what actual nutrition your food can provide for you!

Elliptical Express – Cardio Meets Muscle Conditioning

Last week we set your training on course with our Top Tips for a Super-Fit Home Body. This week we’re stepping your cardio exercise up a gear with the foot holds and grab bars of the formidable elliptical machine. It’s time to bring further synergy between your goals, limited time, and your efforts. So let’s start …

Low Impact, Total Body Blast
As with any piece of equipment you add to your training repertoire, extracting the quickest results is first and foremost. And since getting started can be frustrating if you don’t have direction, we’ve got some tactical tips to reorganize your training plan come workout day.

With a commercial grade elliptical in your home gym you’ll be equipped to tax your heart rate while stimulating total body muscle recruitment at the same time for intense calorie burning –- all in one low impact cardio outing!

The Switch-Up
Just for cardio? Think again! The way in which you leverage your body will dictate how you engage the different muscles on your body and dramatically enhance results. So switch up your program modes as well as types of resistance (elevation, direction and body position) from time to time during your elliptical workout.

1. Power Grade will have you elevate to bigger results by adding varying degrees of incline to your elliptical workout. It’s the uphill battle you want to engage in!

Method: Periodically over the span of your cardio session, insert an elevation change to throw your body off of its steady course, forcing it into an accelerated fat-burning mode.

2. Push-Pull Super Strokes can really roar up your heart rate while engaging rear and posterior muscles of the upper body at the same time. Of course, doing so will further spur on additional calorie expenditure.

Method: Focus on pulling with power for a pre-determined amount of time. Then do the same on a reverse approach, focusing on pushing with the same intensity.

3. Heel Pull-Backs put your hamstrings under steady fire.In most strength training outings, the quadriceps that make up the anterior (front) thigh muscles are most often trained in isolation. This leaves the hard-to-hit posterior (rear) ham muscles out of sync to provide a balance of strength and flexibility.

Method: While in a forward motion, focus on pulling with your heel on the foot pedal during each stride, and minimally with your arms. This works to isolate your hamstrings to keep you moving at a good pace.

4. 12-Minute Mash-Ups really tax your ticker while forcibly working muscles fibers to their max at the same time during this circuit-style approach.

Method: (Inserted into the mid-point of your cardio session). Focus on upper body by pushing for 3 minutes on an incline of level 5, then on pulling for 3 minutes going in reverse at level 5. Next, still at level 5, focus on lower body only by using your legs and core muscles to balance, striding forward for 3 minutes, then finishing off by doing the same, but in reverse.

Remember: Keep hydrated throughout each training and cardio session. Proper intake will not only replenish lost body fluids but will also limit muscle cramping and help maintain energy levels longer.

Training Quick Tip:
Avoid over-training. Keep your weight workouts under an hour. After 60 minutes, your body starts producing more of the stress hormone cortisol, which can block testosterone while also inducing a muscle-wasting effect.

Weight Loss Quick Tip:
Avoid snacking at night. Keep in mind that if you do snack in the evening and these are excess calories above and beyond your bodies need, they’ll get stored.

Fit Body Fact:
Get ready to hit the slopes before the snow of winter is over. Sport-specific training allows you to focus on the various skills associated with a particular activity, plus you’ll be better equipped to avoid injury.

Remember, no fitness goal can be met without covering all of your nutritional basis too. Check out our life-changing eTransformation Program. You get an incredible package that covers everything you need, including a Customized Training and Nutrition Plan so you can reach your goals faster than you ever thought possible!

Top Tips For a Super-Fit Home Body!

If your goal is to get slim and trim but time for exercise is looking grim, get super-fit by training in your own home gym!

Home gyms have become ever more popular due to the level of convenience they offer. And outfitting a home gym with the right accessories can play an important role in how you meet your personal fitness goals – not to mention avoiding the madness of the local workout joint. Here’s our top 5 fit-tastic tools to get you organized …

5 Tools for Total Home Training

Match your goals with the right tools …

1. Write it down. Although the most basic rule for any worthy endeavor, putting your goals on paper will serve as a steady reminder to stay on track. Start by listing your most important goals in order, from losing weight to toning to simply having more energy, that way you’ll be sure to see results with your home gym.

2. Make your goals attainable and realistic. That doesn’t mean you can’t think big, just make sure to break large goals down into smaller bits that you can aim for to successfully conquer along each step of the journey.

3. Make time for research. Discover what you’ll need to match the right equipment with your goals. If you’re looking to improve cardiovascular health, then a stepper, treadmill or cross trainer will be the right ingredient. To bolster strength and muscle tone, a few dumbbells may be sufficient. Better yet, a multi-gym unit or Functional Trainer, as they are commonly known, offers the advantage of covering the needs of all muscle groups in the convenience of one machine. Plus, when you hire a certified in-home personal trainer from eLifestyle you’ll learn all the exercise tips, form and techniques to accelerate your training results! info@elifestyle.ca or https://elifestyle.ca/mobile-fitness/

4. Establish your perfect space. The spot you choose to serve as your home workout area has to be both suitable and comfortable. An area you’ll want to spend time in should be well lit and have optimal space to maneuver while doing exercises that require you to take steps foreword and back. Contact us for our in-home personal training rates!

5. Take in proper nutrition. Simply guessing at what foods are necessary to reach your goals can have you over-eating, under-eating or taking in the wrong types of nutrition altogether. Consult with a fitness and lifestyle expert from eLifestyle to help you construct the ideal nutrition plan to meet your individual health and fitness requirements. https://elifestyle.ca/start-losing-weight-today/

Bonus Tip: Discover the right fitness equipment tools to match your goals. From Steppers to stability balls, eLifestyle can help you with equipment ideas and a customized personal training package that will cover all your fitness needs!

Plus, when you’re in a pinch or need a boost to get your exercise rhythm in sync with your goals, drop in to our eLifestyle Fitness Studio — Location & Current Schedule.

Training Quick Tip

Hire an In-Home Personal Trainer from eLifestyle! Saving precious time in your hectic schedule can leave more time for family. Having a personal trainer come to your home can get you head-turning results in a fraction of the time. Plus, you save on costly gym memberships, gas, driving time, parking, and the equipment is supplied if needed! https://elifestyle.ca/mobile-fitness/ or contact Leah: info@elifestyle.ca

Weight Loss Quick Tip

Consistency is key. Like any body part, sculpting tight, toned abs takes time and diligence. So plan ahead. Incorporate all muscle groups, not just your midsection when you train because you cannot “spot reduce.” Revealing each toned muscle along with your abs is a result of consistently burning more calories than you consume daily throughout each week. Check out our previous blog on getting great abs fast — https://elifestyle.ca/2015/01/abs-abs-abs/

Fit Body Fact

Don’t neglect your micronutrient needs. Micronutrients play an important role in energy production, hemoglobin synthesis, maintenance of bone health, adequate immune function, and protection of the body against oxidative damage. They assist with synthesis and repair of muscle tissue during recovery from exercise and injury. Exercise stresses many of the metabolic pathways where micronutrients are required, and exercise training may result in muscle biochemical adaptations that increase micronutrient needs. Routine exercise may also increase the turnover and loss of these micronutrients from the body. As a result, greater intakes of micronutrients may be required to cover increased needs for building, repair, and maintenance of lean body mass in athletes.

Where more intense exercise regimens are apparent, the most common vitamins and minerals found to be of concern are calcium and vitamin D, the B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, as well as some antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, β-carotene, and selenium.

Muscle Soreness Post-Exercise – Good or Bad?

You may think that if you don’t get sore your training’s a bore. However, exercising smart from the start will have you soon realizing more gains than pains!

With new health goals top of mind, this month will have many people reviving or beginning fresh with some type of fitness or wellness program. When it comes to assessing the effectiveness of a fitness outing, some individuals are using a feeling of soreness as a guage – the more, the better. They tend to look at pain as the goal marker that tells them they’ve pushed themselves to the max. This “No pain, no gain” philosophy can be a little misleading, however, due to the stigma attached to it that if the individual doesn’t feel any pain post-exercise then it was a wasted effort.

Distinguishing Between Good and Bad Muscle Pain

When it comes to pushing towards making gains with any training program, the words should more aptly be said; “No fatigue, no gain” because you are trying to exhaust your muscles, not cause damage.

It is important to note that microscopic tearing is good (actual tearing of the muscle fibers), whereas slight rearing of the muscles (inflammation of the tendons) is bad.

DOMS

Delayed-onset muscle soreness is the pain caused by the microscopic tearing of muscle fibers, and it actually allows your muscles to grow. The best way to combat the soreness is adequate rest between bouts of exercise accompanied by proper nutrition.
Just how much rest and how many and which type of calories will depend on the intensity level and goal of the individual.

DOMS can be caused by:

Being new to working out

Trying a new exercise you are not accustomed to

Pushing muscles beyond their normal range of motion

Performing different types of resistance contractions such as eccentric or negatives

Performing an exercise not tried in a while

Increasing intensity, frequency or duration

Aerobic or anaerobic activity

Should You Be Sore Every Day?

If you train regularly your body will adapt, thus keeping muscle soreness minimal. If you are sore most days then it’s possible you may be over-training (not enough rest days between exercise) or training too hard, which can lead to injuries down the road due to over-use.

So, be sure to keep your muscle soreness in check and you’ll be pushing yourself safely toward new fitness gains.

eLifestyle Fitness & Nutrition Programs

Not sure how to put together the right exercise and nutrition program? We can help!

2015 Brings Top Fitness and Nutrition Tips for Staying Fit

Your Year for a New Body and a New You!

Part 1 – New Year Fitness Tips

Spinning your fitness wheels to start the New Year? Get a grip on your training trip fast with exercise and nutrition tips that put you in the right gear to tackle the New Year.

From nutrition to training methods and equipment, this week we help you remain true to your resolution commitments with top tips to triumph over your fitness goals in 2015. Check out the eLifestyle Fitness 4-Play below!

Fitness 4-Play

1. Cardio can torch calories and help reveal muscle definition at the same time!

Cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of the fat-burning equation. Plus, the way in which you leverage your body on your treadmill, elliptical or cross trainer will dictate how you’ll stimulate total body muscle recruitment at the same time to dramatically enhance overall results. Inject some tactical techniques into your cardio regiment by switching up your program modes as well as types of resistance (elevation, direction and body position) during your workout.

2. Utilize Squats for a full-body advantage.

Requiring over-all body strength, and one of the only exercises that works 75% of your muscles with one, single movement – mainly hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes. As a bonus, balance, core strength and stability are also greatly utilized. And no matter your ability level, there are always a few ways to modify this gem to fit any training program. To test your limits, try out Traditional Squats, Stability Ball Squats and BOSU Squats.

3. Employ different strength-training techniques when you exercise.

There are some must-have moves proven to not only build lean muscle and burn fat, but also totally tax your ticker while you train. Shorter rest periods maximize calorie expenditure while challenging your cardiovascular ability at the same time, and employing extended set options such as supersets, drop sets and pyramids improve strength and muscle endurance.

4. Work your core!

Hitting your midsection at the end of your workout with only a couple of sets and reps is really treating them as more of an afterthought than anything. With no successful fitness or exercise program being complete without proper focus, the importance of core stability reaches far beyond just aiding your fitness program. It actually determines the state of your overall health and wellness too!

Part 2 – New Year Nutrition Tips

Avoid the bad fats.

1. Trans Fats. Also known as hydrogenated fats, these fats not only raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, but lower HDL (good) cholesterol at the same time. Some main sources are commercially fried foods and bakery product sources such as crackers, cookies, donuts, muffins, croissants, snack foods and fried foods, such as French fries and breaded foods.

2. Saturated Fats. Solid at room temperature, these types of fats clog arteries and raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the body. Some main sources are animal-based sources such as red meat and whole-milk dairy products, including ice cream, butter, cheese and sour cream, and plant-based sources like palm oil, coconut oil and coconut milk and cocoa butter.

3. Follow a proper diet specific to YOUR needs.

The right combination of carbs, proteins and fats eaten at regular intervals throughout the day will ensure energy levels are kept high. Skipping meals will zap your energy when you least expect it.
Healthy snacks eaten between meals will stabilize your blood sugar levels so you won’t experience energy “highs” and “lows.”

4. Utilize natural supplementation for a healthy energy boost.

With so many on the market today, here are a few that are most common, due to the fact that they have been backed by leading research: Guarana Extract, Vitamin B6, and Green Tea Extract. (*Please check with your health professional before taking any supplement, natural or not, to ensure it’s right for your health.)

5. Limit alcohol consumption and drink plenty of water.

Alcohol is a depressant, slowing the central nervous system and delivering a sedative effect. Feeling sleepy isn’t the best thing when heading to the gym after work, so don’t be mislead by thinking a quick “social” drink with friends on the way won’t slow you down! Plus, increasing your H2O intake to ensure healthy hydration is a must. Follow the standard rule of 8 10oz glasses per day.